Men sought after 3-vehicle wreck

The Billings Police Department continued to search Monday for
two men who left the scene of a three-vehicle accident in the
Heights on Sunday.

According to police reports, the two men were in a dark-blue
Chevy truck that pulled up next to two men in a Jeep Cherokee on
Bench Boulevard at about 6:30 p.m. The passenger in the truck
brandished a gun, and the driver took off, driving down Bench
Boulevard. The driver of the Jeep pursued them, and both vehicles
were traveling at high speed, said Sgt. Shawn Finnegan.

The Chevy collided with a two-tone Ford truck in the
intersection of Bench Boulevard and Hilltop Road. The Jeep
rear-ended the Chevy. The occupants of the Chevy took off on foot
and have been missing since.

"Witnesses said they heard at least one gunshot," Finnegan
said.

Two girls, ages 7 and 8, who were in the Ford truck with their
father, were injured and taken to St. Vincent Healthcare where they
were later released. The passenger in the Jeep, Philip Champagne,
was also injured and taken to Billings Clinic, where he was treated
for minor injuries and released.

The driver of the Jeep, Jose Palacios, received several traffic
citations, including one for reckless driving, driving while
suspended and no vehicle insurance.

Police dispatched a K-9 unit to search for the occupants of the
Chevy truck, and the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office is
assisting in the search.

The Chevy truck that the two men abandoned was impounded, and
police have attempted to contact the registered owner.

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